A Wolverhampton vicar whose church has been targeted by thieves three times in two weeks has called on neighbours to help protect the much loved church building.

In the first attack at Holy Trinity Church in Heath Town, Wolverhampton, thieves stole lightning conductors. A week later they stole ladders belonging to building contractors and on 30 April it was discovered that thieves had returned to steel lead flashing.

The thefts have taken place as the church undergoes a £200,000 renovation project which will see repairs to stonework on the tower and spire, replacement guttering and repairs to the church clock. The work, which has been funded by the congregation and grants from English Heritage, the Historic Churches Preservation Trust and the West Midlands Co-operative Society, is expected to continue until June.

The cost of repairing the damage caused by the thieves has not yet been established, but it is anticipated to be a five-figure sum. The cost is not covered by insurance because the thefts took place during renovation work and will have to be borne by the church congregation.

The Vicar of Heath Town, the Rev David Vestergaard, said: "It is very discouraging for a congregation who have given generously and sacrificially to enable us to carry out this renovation. We are blessed with a very attractive building but it is expensive to maintain and most of our congregation are not well off.

"The church at Heath Town belongs to the whole community and we want to encourage all our neighbours to play their part in helping to protect it. I would ask everybody who lives close to the church to keep an eye open for anything suspicious taking place during the weeks when these renovations are taking place so that together we can try and prevent any further thefts."

The thefts at Holy Trinity Heath Town are part of a growing trend of thefts targeting churches across the country. The UK's leading church insurer, Ecclesiastical, has received more than 300 claims for theft of external metals from churches over the past 12 months.

They say the thefts of lead, copper and other metals - from roofs, guttering and lightning conductors are prompted by the rising price of these materials.

John Coates, Ecclesiastical's Church Insurance Manager, said: "It's not just the cost of replacing the materials that is the problem, thieves have also torn holes in roofs causing them to leak and ripped stonework away from pinnacles and towers. Yet the thieves get a fraction of the cost for scrap.

"We highlighted this problem last year in an effort to stop the problem, but it only seems to be getting worse. We don't insist on costly anti-theft measures, but in some cases they are the last defence we have. The real solution is for communities to rally round their churches, keeping an eye out and refusing to let thieves steal from under our noses."

Gavin Drake, the spokesman for the Diocese of Lichfield, said: "The cost of maintaining and preserving local churches falls to the congregations and there is little or no government help towards the cost of maintaining these important heritage buildings, so we rely on the goodwill of neighbours and passers by to help ensure that the churches remain secure.

"We take appropriate action to ensure that these churches are protected as far as possible, but at the same time we don't want to turn them into fortresses."


He told the public to notify police or Crimestoppers if they see any suspicious activity at a church.